Where We Should Go From Here
by NicholasandJessicaMiller
Summary: Schmidt convinces the gang to go out to a club but Nick and Jess decide to ditch. Coach is not included in this story, Rated T for VERY MINOR use of bad language.


"Nick, come on would you please get out of your old man pants so we can go!" Schmidt complained in a whiny tone.

"Schmidtty I told you, I don't want to go. So would you please stop nagging me." Nick said as he cracked open the beer in his hand and flopped down on the couch.

"Come on Nick, it could be fun." Jess said as she walked out of her room wearing a tight black dress and high heels that she didn't really trust herself in.

"You're going?! Guys we're way too old for this, Jess you're a vice principal!" Nick wondered how Schmidt convinced her to go.

"Exactly, it's the first day of spring break! Once I go back there all the teachers are going to be so stressed, they have to start prepping the kids for their finals and regents and if they're stressed it means I'm stressed. There is nothing new and exciting it's just review at this point. I need this night out because soon you'll all be dealing with a very cranky Jess."

She really wanted to go out, she hadn't been forced by Schmidt or pressured by Winston. She needed this. "Fine I'll go." Nick murmured as he rested his beer on the coffee table to head to his room and change his attire.

Once he came out of his room he just wanted to get this stupid clubbing experience over with. "Let's go, I'll drive." Nick said as he reached for his keys by the door.

"You're driving? You honestly think you'll be able to resist the temptation of a beer?" Schmidt raised his eyebrows at him.

Nick whispered, "I have a feeling I'll have to watch Jessica all night, so she doesn't do anything stupid. Vacation has barely even started and I can already see how nervous she is about going back." Schmidt nodded back in understanding.

"Ready guys?" Jess said as she made her way towards the door.

"Let's do this girl." Winston said and followed her to the elevator.

Nick got held back for a second with Schmidt, "Are you trying to get back with a one Ms. Jessica Day tonight, I mean it would be perfect timing you guys have the whole week to yourselves and it'll make Winston and I's lives easier next week since it'll be like she's having the Menzies everyday after this vacation."

"What, oh my god, no! Jess and I are just friends. That's just the way it is right now." Nick wished Schmidt hadn't head that last part.

"Right now, as in possibly in the future?" Schmidt questioned and a smile grew on his face.

"Are you guys coming? We've been holding the elevator for quite some time." Winston yelled down the hall.

"Yeah be there in a minute." Nick hollered and was getting ready to hush his voice to continue his conversation with Schmidt but as his mouth opened Schmidt put a finger to his lips, "Don't even try to talk your way out of that, everyone will question your back sweat." Schmidt skipped his way to the elevator as Nick silently trailed behind.

In the elevator Nick and Jess stood a little too close together as they always did, while Winston and Schmidt stood in front. As they got to the car the roles reversed, because Nick was driving Jess would join him in front. She'd occasionally glance at him as she thought about the memories of them when they were together, she would place her hand on his thigh or shoulder and sometimes mess around with his crazy hair. Had they been sitting in the back she would've faked drowsiness and rested her head in the space between his chin and shoulder right along his neck, occasionally breathing in his wonderful scent.

* * *

As they arrived at the club the line was ridiculously long but thanks to Jess' tight, short dress it got them in much quicker. The group quickly separated into two as Schmidt and Winston swept the perimeter looking for who they may want to spend the night with, Jess was ready for a drink and Nick joined.

"Hey you're not allowed to be drinking!" Jess said as she flirtatiously hit his shoulder.

"Very cute Jess, but I'm well over twenty one" Nick leaned in to her ear to yell as it was so loud.

Jess giggled, "What I meant was, you shouldn't be drinking you're the designated driver tonight remember?"

"I think we'll all be safe if I decide to drink one beer."

"Nick Miller, I can't believe you'd put my life at risk." She dramatically dropped her jaw.

Nick sighed and put down his beer, "So I should just wait around here whilst everyone enjoys themselves?"

"I mean you can always get soda and talk to me for a little before I decide to go embarrass myself on the dance floor."

"Okay and what am I supposed to do when you do that?"

"I'd say dance with me but since I know that's not an option, you could try and find the guys."

"Jess I have a feeling they aren't gonna be around by then." Jess shrugged her shoulders, she was out of options for him.

"Hey, I have an idea." Nick stood and took Jess by the hand.

"Where are we going?"

"We are blowing this joint, I know you wanted to have a fun and exciting first day of break but this isn't us Jess."

"Well we can't just leave the guys."

"If they don't end up at some random girls houses they have phones they can call us, or better yet a cab."

"Nick..I don't know, I feel bad."

"Yeah you're right..not." Nick picked her up over his shoulder. People's eyes raised in suspicion for a second but there were drunk girls every where, it was pretty common that some one would look out for them and get them home. Not that Jess was anywhere near drunk, they were in and out so fast she had barely had a sip of the drink she ordered.

* * *

"You took me back to the loft?" She looked out the windows of the car as they pulled up to the apartment building.

"I'm not sitting back and watching you drink while I do nothing, we're running upstairs getting some beer and a wine bottle and taking a stroll to the beach."

"Nick, I feel like that isn't a good idea." Jess looked down at her hands on her lap.

"Jess, c'mon I don't even remember the last time we were alone together for five minutes. I know we don't bring it up a lot but the whole reason we broke up was to get our friend back and I still haven't gotten you back yet." Nick looked at her even though her face was covered behind a curtain of hair.

"Listen I'm sorry it's just if we go back to being the way we were before, we're just going to get stuck back in this will they or won't they cycle you know? We were all over the place; completely hating each other, to being attracted to each other and even after you kissed me we were still a mess up until the point where we got away from everyone."

"Exactly so let's go, lets get away just for tonight."

"I don't, I don't know." Jess continued to stare and play with her hands.

Nick put his hand under her chin to raise her face to look at him, "Jess I love you, I always-"

"Nick, no please. Please don't do this to me, do not put me through this please." Jess put her face in her hands as she tried to hide a tear or two that rolled down her face. She needed air, she needed to breathe. As her hand laid down on the car door handle Nick whispered her name and then she left.

She ran up the steps, she didn't have time to wait for the elevator as she reached the door she realized her keys were on the other side of the door. One of the many rules in the loft is whoever is the designated driver has to keep hold of the keys, tonight that driver was obviously Nick. She had no more air in her lungs from running up four flights of stairs so she took a seat down on the floor and leaned against the door waiting for him.

Nick couldn't even process what just happened did he really just say, "I love you", he thought to himself. He sat in shock, It wasn't until after she was out of sight before he could regain his breath. "Dammit." He yelled to himself and hit his hand on the wheel. She ran away from him and yet he still felt the need to talk to her. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and made his way over to the elevator. As he stepped out, he saw a hopeless Jess sitting on the floor.

"Door locked?" She nodded her head. "Listen, Jess I'm sorry. What I meant to say was of course my feelings for you will always be there and obviously I'd like to pursue those feelings but I would never try and force you into a relationship with me, I really do just want to be your friend so maybe we could go inside and try again. Maybe watch a movie or something?"

Jess nodded her head and put her hand up in the air after Nick grabbed it to help her up, he took the key from his pocket and unlocked the door. As they made there way in they both agreed to change into something more comfortable before they spent the rest of the evening on the couch, yet Jess stopped them in what she liked to call "their hallway".

"Nick?"

"Yeah, Jess."

Jess looked into his eyes and stepped forward. She gently laid her lips on his, she pulled back before it became to intense and whispered, "Nick that spark is never gonna go away, I've never felt anything like that with anyone. I know part of the reason we broke up was because of the whole friend thing but it was also because there was a lot of rushing in our relationship and not being mature enough." Jess took a breath. "I guess, I just really don't know where we should go from here."


End file.
